Program establishment and administration

(a) Establishment There is established the Presidential Management Fellows Program, the purpose of which is to attract to the Federal service outstanding individuals from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. (b) Director responsibilities (1) Number of Fellows (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the Director shall determine the number of individuals who will be finalists to be appointed as Fellows during any given fiscal year, which shall be based on input from the Chief Human Capital Officers Council and from agencies not represented on that Council. (B) Increase in positions during fiscal years 2026 through 2031 During each of fiscal years 2026 through 2031, the Director shall ensure that the number of positions for Fellows under the Program during the applicable fiscal year is equal to 200 percent of the number of positions for Fellows under the Program in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which this Act is enacted, as the Program was carried out under subpart D of part 362 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect during that fiscal year. (2) Establishment of qualifications The Director shall establish the qualification requirements for evaluating applicants for the Program. (c) Agency processes (1) In general After the Director makes the determination under subsection (b)(1)(A) with respect to a fiscal year, an agency may appoint individuals selected by the Director as finalists to be Fellows according to the short-, medium-, and long-term senior leadership and related recruitment, development, and succession requirements of the agency. (2) Field locations outside of Washington, DC An agency that appoints a Fellow to a position in a field location outside of the Washington, DC metropolitan area may— (A) before making the appointment, discuss whether the candidate would like to do a developmental rotation to the headquarters of the agency and, if so, make a commitment to allow and fund such a rotation, to the maximum extent practicable, in accordance with section 6(b); and (B) promote interaction among regional Fellows with the agency Federal Executive Board and permit that Fellow to attend activities sanctioned by that Federal Executive Board in that region.